Scented Candles
by Alexandrine Jennings
Summary: AU! Emma Shepard has a crush. Sadly, on a recently recruited military man. FShepard/Kaidan. ONE-SHOT


**Summary: **AU! Emma Shepard has a crush. Sadly, on a recently recruited military man. FShepard/Kaidan. ONE-SHOT

**A/N: **Well here is my try at a romance mass effect one-shot. :)

I do not and will not own Mass Effect.

Please Review and tell me what you think :)

* * *

Emma Shepard had many scars from her past battles. She still suffered nightmares each and every-night on how her entire family and friends died that faith night a year ago. The Alliance found her. She was aimed with one of the Batarian's pistols with only a few thermal rounds. Shepard covered within her friends and family blood from chest to bottom. She escaped with a few bruises. She can still remember the screams and cries of her own mother when she was beaten down screaming for her and her little brother to run. Her father laid motionless on the floor with a bullet in the back of his head.

Emma closed her eyes tight fighting back the tears.

She remembered that her brother tripped over his own feet.

A few Batarians behind them.

Shepard stopped before him debating.

His eyes pleading up at her for help.

He sprung his ankle.

Her own blue eyes shown fear.

Shepard didn't want to die.

She ran.

She left her defenseless brother behind with a sob, feeling very disgusted and shameful of herself. She heard rapid fire from behind before ducking a few rounds herself. Her brother was gone.

She left him to die.

Shepard almost tripped over a fallen Batarian body, searching she found a pistol.

Grabbing, she shot at the two Batarians behind. The ones that killed her brother, hitting them clumsy in their chest or neck, but either way they fallen to the ground bleeding to death gasping in pain.

Shepard turned a corner running into The Alliance.

* * *

It had been a year since the incident. The Alliance rescued her, but yet condoning her to her own fate.

On how she had let her own brother died just like that.

She was young, she was still young now. She just turned only 17 and within a year The Alliance was expecting of to join with them. She didn't know if she should. Her grip on the broom tightened while she sweep the floor in the small gift shop on Vancouver, Earth. This was her part-time job. She's now staying with a small family down the street with a newly retire Alliance Soldier. They're were planning on moving to another place not too far. They do have a son. Shepard only saw a few photographs of him around the house. Becca Alenko told her that he just moved out last year and enlisted in the marines.

Shepard didn't hear the door opened of the shop.

"Excuse me, ma'am." A man taller than her said politely, snapping her out of her train of thought. The man was taller than her about a good half a foot. He had curly dark hair with dark eyes glancing at her questioningly. He was wearing his Alliance armor. She wondered why he walked into the shop wearing such armor. Surely, he's not expecting to get shot or anything of that kind here.

He's surely attractive-Shepard snapped herself from this thought, finding herself blushing red realizing he's still waiting for an answer.

"Yes, what can I help you with?" The stranger smiled, sheepishly at her. He glanced down at his feet shyly, something usual to her.

"eh my mother birthday is today and I'm wondering if you have any ideas on what I can get for a...woman her age?" He asked bashfully and she almost giggled at this. Something about him seemed familiar to her.

"Well you can always give her a candle." She waved to an entire shelf filled with scented candles.

She then glance back up to him and her eyes locked together. Her heart started to beat fast and faster with each passing second. Her throat ran dry and she can hardly believe that she was having a crush on a stranger.

He broke eye contact first.

His flushed, and Shepard thought it was the most beautiful sight.

"T-Thank you."

He fled to the candle selection.

Now Shepard now finding The Alliance much more tempting to join now.

Then she froze.

Isn't Mrs. Alenko's birthday today?

She dropped the broom and ran to the candle selection grabbing the rose scented one.

Everyone knew that Becca Alenko has an awful temper.


End file.
